Casting from a wand (melee touch attack) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Casting from a wand (melee touch attack) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
vorticone
12-11-06, 06:03 PM I haven't found the exact rules for this, so mind me if what I ask here is obvious.

In the PHB it is stated that casting a spell that grants a melee touch attack to hit the target (such as Shocking Graps for example) allows the spellcaster to make his actual touch attack with the same standart action he uses for actually casting the spell. That is, I cast the touch spell and hit the opponent in the same standart action. I could not, however, cast the touch spell, use a move action to close in on the foe, and then touch him. Correct?

Well now, I recently aquired a wand with charges of shocking grasp, and somehow my DM thinks that I need to use a standart action to activate the wand, and then use another standart action to deliver the touch attack. I am thinking now that this is wrong, and that casting a spell from a wand should take no longer than casting it as usual. Is there any official rule to this somewhere?
ShinAkuma2
12-11-06, 06:13 PM In the PHB it is stated that casting a spell that grants a melee touch attack to hit the target (such as Shocking Graps for example) allows the spellcaster to make his actual touch attack with the same standart action he uses for actually casting the spell. That is, I cast the touch spell and hit the opponent in the same standart action. I could not, however, cast the touch spell, use a move action to close in on the foe, and then touch him. Correct?

Incorrect. The touch is a free action during that first round, no matter when it happens relative to your spellcasting. In the rounds after that, it becomes a standard action to touch.

I am thinking now that this is wrong, and that casting a spell from a wand should take no longer than casting it as usual. Is there any official rule to this somewhere?

You are right. As it says in the descriptions for wands, it's no different from you casting the spell except for the differences specified. You wave the wand as a standard action, and touch as a free action, just as if you had the cast the spell yourself.
risner
12-11-06, 07:12 PM /agree ShinAkuma2

I will follow up to make it clear, the rules allow you to cast the spell, move full move (30' as your move action) and deliver a touch spell as a single standard action in one turn.
vorticone
12-11-06, 08:08 PM Thank you for your answers.

I re-read my PHB and it seems that in the last year we played it wrong, we always assumed that you could make that touch attack only as part of the spellcasting action, not at any time during the round. :)
tafkamhokie
12-11-06, 08:58 PM Keep in mind that unless you carry the wand in you hand at all times, you need to use a move action to draw the wand (provided you don't have quick draw). While you could activate the wand, move, and touch an opponent all in one round, you could not draw the wand, activate it, move, and touch an opponent all in one round.
vorticone
12-12-06, 09:27 AM Keep in mind that unless you carry the wand in you hand at all times, you need to use a move action to draw the wand (provided you don't have quick draw). While you could activate the wand, move, and touch an opponent all in one round, you could not draw the wand, activate it, move, and touch an opponent all in one round.

Unless my DM allows me to draw it as part of the move action since it basically is a weapon (ok you could argue here). I'd have to use casting on the defense using the wand, but that skill is maxed anyways.
Merestil Haye
12-12-06, 11:00 AM Unless my DM allows me to draw it as part of the move action since it basically is a weapon (ok you could argue here). I'd have to use casting on the defense using the wand, but that skill is maxed anyways.It's not unreasonable to suggest that wands can be treated as weapons for the purposes of combining move-and-draw, since you can draw it with Quick Draw.

Using a wand does not provoke AoOs though, so no need to worry about defensive casting. It is necessary for using a scroll, as well as spells, but not wands or other spell trigger devices.
Nom
12-12-06, 02:54 PM It's not unreasonable to suggest that wands can be treated as weapons for the purposes of combining move-and-draw, since you can draw it with Quick Draw.It's not merely "not unreasonable", it's explicitly stated on PH pg 142 that the "draw or sheathe a weapon" rules include wands.
Merestil Haye
12-12-06, 04:28 PM It's not merely "not unreasonable", it's explicitly stated on PH pg 142 that the "draw or sheathe a weapon" rules include wands.That settles that question then. Thanks :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
vorticone 12-11-06, 06:03 PM	I haven't found the exact rules for this, so mind me if what I ask here is obvious. In the PHB it is stated that casting a spell that grants a melee touch attack to hit the target (such as Shocking Graps for example) allows the spellcaster to make his actual touch attack with the same standart action he uses for actually casting the spell. That is, I cast the touch spell and hit the opponent in the same standart action. I could not, however, cast the touch spell, use a move action to close in on the foe, and then touch him. Correct? Well now, I recently aquired a wand with charges of shocking grasp, and somehow my DM thinks that I need to use a standart action to activate the wand, and then use another standart action to deliver the touch attack. I am thinking now that this is wrong, and that casting a spell from a wand should take no longer than casting it as usual. Is there any official rule to this somewhere?
ShinAkuma2 12-11-06, 06:13 PM	In the PHB it is stated that casting a spell that grants a melee touch attack to hit the target (such as Shocking Graps for example) allows the spellcaster to make his actual touch attack with the same standart action he uses for actually casting the spell. That is, I cast the touch spell and hit the opponent in the same standart action. I could not, however, cast the touch spell, use a move action to close in on the foe, and then touch him. Correct? Incorrect. The touch is a free action during that first round, no matter when it happens relative to your spellcasting. In the rounds after that, it becomes a standard action to touch. I am thinking now that this is wrong, and that casting a spell from a wand should take no longer than casting it as usual. Is there any official rule to this somewhere? You are right. As it says in the descriptions for wands, it's no different from you casting the spell except for the differences specified. You wave the wand as a standard action, and touch as a free action, just as if you had the cast the spell yourself.
risner 12-11-06, 07:12 PM	/agree ShinAkuma2 I will follow up to make it clear, the rules allow you to cast the spell, move full move (30' as your move action) and deliver a touch spell as a single standard action in one turn.
vorticone 12-11-06, 08:08 PM	Thank you for your answers. I re-read my PHB and it seems that in the last year we played it wrong, we always assumed that you could make that touch attack only as part of the spellcasting action, not at any time during the round. :)
tafkamhokie 12-11-06, 08:58 PM	Keep in mind that unless you carry the wand in you hand at all times, you need to use a move action to draw the wand (provided you don't have quick draw). While you could activate the wand, move, and touch an opponent all in one round, you could not draw the wand, activate it, move, and touch an opponent all in one round.
vorticone 12-12-06, 09:27 AM	Keep in mind that unless you carry the wand in you hand at all times, you need to use a move action to draw the wand (provided you don't have quick draw). While you could activate the wand, move, and touch an opponent all in one round, you could not draw the wand, activate it, move, and touch an opponent all in one round. Unless my DM allows me to draw it as part of the move action since it basically is a weapon (ok you could argue here). I'd have to use casting on the defense using the wand, but that skill is maxed anyways.
Merestil Haye 12-12-06, 11:00 AM	Unless my DM allows me to draw it as part of the move action since it basically is a weapon (ok you could argue here). I'd have to use casting on the defense using the wand, but that skill is maxed anyways.It's not unreasonable to suggest that wands can be treated as weapons for the purposes of combining move-and-draw, since you can draw it with Quick Draw. Using a wand does not provoke AoOs though, so no need to worry about defensive casting. It is necessary for using a scroll, as well as spells, but not wands or other spell trigger devices.
Nom 12-12-06, 02:54 PM	It's not unreasonable to suggest that wands can be treated as weapons for the purposes of combining move-and-draw, since you can draw it with Quick Draw.It's not merely "not unreasonable", it's explicitly stated on PH pg 142 that the "draw or sheathe a weapon" rules include wands.
Merestil Haye 12-12-06, 04:28 PM	It's not merely "not unreasonable", it's explicitly stated on PH pg 142 that the "draw or sheathe a weapon" rules include wands.That settles that question then. Thanks :)